Retaining wall block system with modulating heights, widths, and included angles

ABSTRACT

A system of retaining wall blocks suitable for constructing a retaining wall comprising a modified arc segment shape cap block, a modified arc segment shape first wall block, and a modified arc segment shape second wall block.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/838,205, entitled “Masonry Blocks,” filed Jun. 21,2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to retaining wall blocks, and morespecifically to a system of retaining wall blocks having modulatingheights, widths, and angles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Retaining wall blocks can be manufactured and arranged in a variety ofdifferent ways.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system of retaining wall blocks suitable for constructing a retainingwall comprising a trapezoidal cap block, a trapezoidal first wall block,and a trapezoidal second wall block.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following drawings and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to thefollowing drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarilyto scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating theprinciples of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, likereference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the severalviews, and in which:

FIGS. 1A through 1C are diagrams of retaining wall blocks in accordancewith in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIGS. 2A through 2C are diagrams of a first retaining wall module inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A through 3C are diagrams of a second retaining wall module inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 4A through 4D are diagrams of a multi height retaining wall inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout thespecification and drawings with the same reference numerals. The drawingfigures might not be to scale and certain components can be shown ingeneralized or schematic form and identified by commercial designationsin the interest of clarity and conciseness.

FIGS. 1A through 1C are diagrams of retaining wall cap 100 and blocks200 and 300 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure. As shown in FIG. 1A, cap block 100 is an modified arcsegment having modified inner and outer radius surfaces, which areflattened to form a modified arc segment shape block having a length L₁,outer width W, height H, an included angle α and an inner radius R, andcan be used as a cap stone for placement on top of a retaining wall,such as where the retaining wall blocks are hollow and the cap stone isused to cover the hollow portion. As shown in FIG. 1B, first wall block200 is an arc segment having modified inner and outer radius surfaces,which are flattened to form a modified arc segment shape block having alength L₂, outer width 2W, height 3H, and included angle 2α and an innerradius R, and can be used to form the retaining wall. The hollow featureof first wall block 200 is not shown. As shown in FIG. 1C, second wallblock 300 is an arc segment having modified inner and outer radiussurfaces, which are flattened to form a modified arc segment shape blockhaving a length L₂, outer width 3W, height 2H, an included angle 3α andan inner radius R, and can be used to create variable andaesthetically-pleasing wall designs, as shown in FIGS. 4A through 4C.Length L₁ can be greater than, equal to or less than length L₂. In oneembodiment of the present disclosure, length L₁ is slightly larger thanlength L₂, allowing cap block 100 to overhang first wall block 200 orsecond wall block 300. In this fashion, cap block 100 serves as a capstone to a retaining wall comprised of first wall blocks 200, secondwall blocks 300 and other suitable wall blocks. Essentially, theretaining wall blocks can be arranged as desired, such as shown, and theradial dimensions of the blocks allow the blocks to be configured so asto follow a contour, and to create a semi-random looking pattern. Thevarious dimensions and number of blocks shown are exemplary, and othersuitable dimensions and numbers of blocks can also or alternatively beused.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, radius R refers to the distance between theinner radius of the sidewalls and a center point located at theintersection point of imaginary lines extending from the side walls ofcap block 100, first wall block 200 or second wall block 300. However,radius R can extend to any suitable location along the sidewalls of capblock 100, first wall block 200 or second wall block 300, and cangenerally refer to a point that is common to cap block 100, first wallblock 200 or second wall block 300, such as where those blocks overlap.In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, cap block 100,first wall block 200, and second wall block 300 can all have includedangles Nα (where N is typically an integer) and radii R such that theblocks are capable of modulating arrangements as described below.

FIGS. 2A through 2C are diagrams of a module of retaining wall blocks inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Asshown in FIGS. 2A through 2C, two (2) cap blocks 100 can be positionedon a first wall block 200 to act as a cap stone. In addition, block 200has a roughened texture on a front surface and rounded edges along thesides. In one exemplary embodiment, the roughened texture is created bysplitting a larger block into two parts, and the rounded edges areformed by a rounded insert in the block mold. A splitting process can beused that creates the roughened and rounded edges at the top and bottomedges of the blocks.

FIGS. 3A through 3C are diagrams of a module of retaining wall blocks inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Asshown in FIGS. 3A through 3C, three (3) cap blocks 100 can be positionedon a second wall block 300 to act as a cap stone. In addition, block 300has a roughened texture on a front surface and rounded edges along thesides. In one exemplary embodiment, the roughened texture is created bysplitting a larger block into two parts, and the rounded edges areformed by a rounded insert in the block mold. A splitting process can beused that creates the roughened and rounded edges at the top and bottomedges of the blocks.

FIGS. 4A through 4D are diagrams of a multi height retaining wall inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Inanother exemplary embodiment, a set of concrete blocks suitable forconstructing a serpentine wall comprising a cap block 100, having heightH, midpoint radius R and included angle α, first wall block 200, havingheight n*H, midpoint radius R and included angle m*α, and a second wallblock 300, having height i*H, midpoint radius R and included angle j*αare provided. In another exemplary embodiment, cap block 100 can be afractional element of wall blocks 200, 300.

As shown in FIGS. 4A through 4D, cap block 100, first wall block 200,and second wall block 300 can be arranged as desired to form anaesthetically pleasing, yet sturdy retaining wall assembly. For example,blocks 100, 200, 300 may be stacked and/or assembled end to end to forma straight or contoured retaining wall. The present disclosure enablesblocks 100, 200, 300 to be arranged side-to-side with abutting frontfaces or side-to-side with abutting front and back faces (i.e. aninversed side-by-side arrangement), so as to allow the retaining wall todefine or follow landscape contours. The cap blocks 100 cover the hollowportions of first wall block 200 and second wall block 300, to serveaesthetic purposes and to prevent an unsightly wall configuration. Inone embodiment of the present disclosure, the hollow cavities of theretaining wall blocks 200 and 300 can be filled with dirt, gravel,stone, concrete, rebar, or any other conventional material suitable toprovide for a sturdy retaining wall assembly.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merelyexamples of possible implementations. Many variations and modificationsmay be made to the above-described embodiments without departing fromthe principles of the present disclosure. All such modifications andvariations are intended to be included herein within the scope of thisdisclosure and protected by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system of retaining wall blocks suitable forconstructing a retaining wall comprising: a cap block of modified arcsegment shape, having height H, two opposing sides with midpoint radiusof approximately R and included angle A; a first wall block of modifiedarc segment shape, having height n*H, two opposing sides with a midpointradius of approximately R and included angle m*A; and a second wallblock of modified arc segment shape, having height i*H, two opposingsides with a midpoint radius of approximately R and included angle j*A.2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: the cap block having alength L₁; and the first wall block and second wall blocking having alength L₂, wherein L₁ is greater than, equal to, or less than L₂.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein L₁ is greater than L₂.
 4. The system of claim1, further comprising: the first wall block having height 3*H, twoopposing sides with midpoint radius of approximately R and includedangle 2*A; and a second wall block of modified arc segment shape, havingheight 2*H, opposing sides with midpoint radius of approximately R andincluded angle 3*A.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wallblock further comprises an interlocking lip configured to engage with asecond first wall block or a second wall block.
 6. The system of claim1, wherein the second wall block further comprises an interlocking lipconfigured to engage with a first wall block or a second second wallblock.
 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one firstmodule, the first module including a first wall block and two cap blocksdeposited on a top surface of the first wall block.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one second module, the secondmodule including a second wall block and three cap blocks deposited on atop surface of the second wall block.
 9. The system of claim 1, whereinthe first wall block and second wall block further comprise a texturedfront face having rounded edges.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein thefirst wall block further comprises at least one hollow cavity.
 11. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the second wall block further comprises atleast one hollow cavity.
 12. A method of constructing a retaining wall,the method comprising: arranging a first wall block of modified arcsegment shape, having height n*H, two opposing sides with midpointradius R and included angle m*A, adjacent to a second wall block, havingheight i*H, two opposing sides with midpoint radius R and included anglej*A; and capping the first wall block and second wall block with aplurality of cap blocks having height H, two opposing sides withmidpoint radius R and included angle A, wherein the plurality of capblocks have dimensions relative to the first wall block and second wallblock.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first wall block andsecond wall block further comprise at least one hollow cavity.
 14. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises: arranging afirst module having a first wall block and two cap blocks deposited ontoa top surface of the first wall block.
 15. The method of claim 12,wherein the method further comprises: arranging a second module having asecond wall block and three cap blocks deposited onto a top surface ofthe second wall block.
 16. In a system having a cap block of modifiedarc segment shape, having height H, two opposing sides with midpointradius of approximately R and included angle A, a first wall block ofmodified arc segment shape, having height n*H, two opposing sides withmidpoint radius of approximately R and included angle m*A, the firstwall block further comprising at least one hollow cavity, and a secondwall block of modified arc segment shape, having height i*H, twoopposing sides with midpoint radius of approximately R and includedangle j*A, the second wall block further comprising at least one hollowcavity, a method comprising: arranging the first wall block of modifiedarc segment shape, having height n*H, two opposing sides with midpointradius R and included angle m*A, adjacent to the second wall block,having height i*H, two opposing sides with midpoint radius ofapproximately R and included angle j*A; and capping the first wall blockand second wall block with a plurality of cap blocks having height H,two opposing sides with midpoint radius of approximately R and includedangle A, wherein the plurality of cap blocks have dimensions relative tothe first wall block and second wall block.